Fort Worth weekly gazette. [volume] (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1882-1891, 1887-05-20
STRUCK 1T RICH IN MEx1co


Special to the Gazette
WASHINGTON, Msy ia paragraph
has recently gone the rounds OF the press
in which it is stated that eX-Lieutenant
Flipper, late of the United States army,
the colored graduate of West Point who
was dismissed from the service & few
years ago, has "struCk il rich" in MeXi-
can gold mines. This item calls to mind
8 fact connected with the career Of
another colored man who was also q
student at the United States military
academy but who never received COM
mission as gu officer Of the army. Five
years ago Johnson Chestnut Whitaker,
who had Just escaped from 9 sentence of
one year in prison, for having, as it was
alleged, mutilated himself to escape the
result of his failure 70 pass his eX-
aminations at the academy, was in
duced to 90 to Buffalo to tell the
people of that city what he knew Of
''The Color Line a. West Point" A But
falo newspaper man conceived the idea of
Introducing the "colored cadet from
West Point" to the rostrHm. The venture
wss.. not a great fnaBeial success, and
WhittakeE was dropPsn. Then another
man tooksR9id, Of khA, and by taking him
to smaller sers1s-ih Western New York
succeeded in aiding him TO make a very
fair living. Finally, however, some en-
thusiastic coIored minister in South Car
olina turned the head OF the eX-cadet by
offering him 500 for speech IN Column
bia on the Fourth of July. Whitaker
was certain that this was the tide in
his affairs which was TO lead on to
fortune. He declined u ill sny more
engagements in New York, and al last in
duced one of the men who had befriended
him to go south with him. He declared
that Baltimore on account of its great
Colored population, would be 3 good 'One
night stand and against the Judgment OF
the other stop was made il the Monu-
mental City. The esulr vas disastrous.
Although they stayed g week in the place
and advertised the lecture extensively
there was only $3.50 in the house and the
partnership was dissolved. Whitaker
was angry at the GOODNESS with which the
colOred people greeted him, and to vent
his temper he pitched into President
Arthur for his approval OF the findings
in the cOurt-msrtial of Lieutenant
FIipper. This indiscreet act cost
him dearly. 1t wGs the only portion of
the lecture reported by the Baltimore
Sun. A few days later Whitaker,
through the influence of Congressman
Smalls, was about to De appointed to
place in the Surgeon General Office of the
War Department. His appointment had
been made out and Was in the hands Of
Secretary Lincoln for his signature when
the attention of that official was directed
to the Baltimore speech of the eX-cadet.
That settled It. He WIS not appointed,
but instead went on TO South Carolina
and was, am Informed, sdmitted 10 prac-
tice at the bar. 1t is said that he is do
ng well.
TEXAS PENSIONS.
was WAsH1S StS ON May 18.-The following
Texas pensions were issuedto-day: j. M.
Baker, Ladonia; c. DorsaAdt, Bertram;
j. Buckley, Del Rio; Alsazo Withrow,
Sarat; mother of Samuel Cady, Harwood !;
Lewis D. Maxwell, Austin = j ohnsA Cot9
rslL sComanche; w. CheslIn, Richmonds
WiiIfamsondale, Grafton; Jsnes1M. Day,
7Kerrville; S. Davidson, Joshua william
Davis, Uvalde; Jonn Rusk, Dsfih.
NOTES. ~
WASHINGTON, May I3.-The Secretary
efthe Treasury has formally notified Mr..
Hyatt, who is now atShis home at Nor
walk, Conn, of his appointment as
Treasurer of the GIFTED States, and it is
supposed he VIII lille his bond and take
the oath of once next week. The trans
fer 8illaEeshfTe two months
The Chief of the Bureau of Statistics
reports the total value Of exp5fts from
the United States of, the uqdermen-
toned articles as follows Beef and
aofk products, six months, ended April
80, 1887, I,342, $50; 1885, S81 ,S1, 79l;
dairy products, twelve months ended
April so, 1857, 50, 051 ,2S+; 1886, SO, $780,
1G6; cattle, twelve months ended April
so, 1887, S7,2I1S07; 1886, sS,949,986;
hogs, ten months ended April 80, 1887,
S4l8,ST7; 1886, S499, 400.